Giant crystal part of museum’s expansion

Geology exhibit in Berkeley Springs receives massive rock

February 7, 2013

BERKELEY SPRINGS - For anyone who hasn't visited The Museum of the Berkeley Springs in recent months, spring might be a good time.

A unique new object in the form of a giant crystal excavated nearby at U.S. Silica has a home in a prominent display at the museum's geology exhibit.

The Museum of the Berkeley Springs is housed on the second floor of the 1815 Roman Bath House in Berkeley Springs State Park, and it is the oldest public building in the historic town.

Article Photos

Journal photo by Tricia Lynn StraderTamme Marggraf, Museum of the Berkeley Springs director, stands with a giant crystal, excavated from U.S. Silica, now on display at the museum. The crystal weighs about 800 pounds.

Through its exhibits, publications and activities, the museum showcases the story of the famous warm mineral springs and their continuing impact on the life and people around them.

Museum director Tamme Marggraff was thrilled to accept the crystal, valued at $12,000. She said the 800-pound crystal had been on display at one of the mine's buildings that was purchased by the Senior Life Services of Morgan County in mid-2012.

Denny Somers organized the moving crew which also included Ross Clatterbuck, Sam Wandless and Eddie Fox. Somers played an additional crucial role in the acquisition.

"The crystal needed a way to be displayed," Marggraf said. "It had to be safe but easy to view."

Somers created a sturdy traditional farm table with his grandchildren, even marking it with cup stain rings and a burn mark from grandma's iron. The center support of the table is an old milk can from a farm where there was once a tomato cannery.

"The crystal needed a display that was as much part of county life as the sand," said Marggraf, who was thrilled with being able to integrate some local family history.

Marggraf said the large crystal is a great example of the unusual geology of Morgan County. That geology is a main part of the museum, and plans are to expand and update technology of exhibits.

The museum received $5,000 on Jan. 24 from the Morgan County Commission to expand the exhibits. Local nonprofits and organizations may request funds which are derived from the hotel-motel tax. The 4 percent tax is collected by local hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts. Half of the fees collected go to Travel Berkeley Springs, the local convention and visitor's bureau. Other organizations can ask for some of the money if they fall under certain state code criteria for funds allocations. Funds are disbursed by commissioners twice per year to groups such as the museum.

Museum board member Jeanne Mozier had asked for an additional $5,000 one-time allocation of the hotel-motel tax funds in addition to the $1,500 or so the commission usually grants.

"The total cost of our development of the geology room is $15,000," Mozier said.

Mozier reported other funds will likely come from pending Washington Heritage Trail and Potomac Headwaters RC&D grants. The total annual budget for the museum normally is $20,000.

Commissioner Bob Ford said the publicly controlled museum was important.

"Aside from the state park, it's one of the few permanent displays of our county history," he said.

There will be membership drives, and Mozier hopes the public has other crystals or artifacts they may donate.

"In the 1960s, a large vein of crystals was discovered, and we know there are many crystals in private possession," she said. "We're lucky to get this large crystal. George Didawick helped us."

The expanded geology exhibit will include the stages of crystal development and also items like fossils.

Another planned expansion is a Porte Crayon exhibit. Current exhibits include topics of interest such as inventor James Rumsey, tomato factories of the area, the spring waters, Native Americans of the area and more. The West Virginia Statehood exhibit will return for three weeks in late summer.

The Museum of the Berkeley Springs is also the interpretive center for the western segment of the Washington Heritage Trail National Scenic Byway.